“Super Elite Closer on Paternity Leave”: San Diego Padres, Back Against the Wall, Pull Off Bold Move with Starter Pitching Two Innings for a Save! Defeat Milwaukee Brewers to Secure First Victory in Comeback Bid

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The San Diego Padres, who had been pushed to the brink of elimination, staged a dramatic revival through an unconventional pitching strategy. Amid the setback of their closer’s absence, the bold decision to deploy their ace—who had started just two days prior—as a reliever proved effective.

On the 7th (Korean time), at Petco Park in San Diego, California, USA, the San Diego Padres defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 in Game 3 of the National League Division Series (NLDS) of the 2026 Major League Baseball postseason.

Having lost both Games 1 and 2 on the road and facing the threat of elimination, the Padres secured their first win of the series in front of home fans, laying the groundwork for a major comeback. Meanwhile, the Brewers failed to break the curse of a 12-game losing streak in postseason road games dating back to 2018, missing the opportunity to clinch an early berth in the Championship Series. Their all-time postseason road record stands at 6 wins and 24 losses.

Amid the crisis, the Padres were the first to show focus. In the bottom of the third inning, Samard Taylor led off with a single to center field and stole second base, followed by Jake Cronenworth’s sacrifice bunt, creating a one-out, runner-on-third opportunity. Fernando Tatis Jr. then delivered an infield grounder to shortstop for the go-ahead run. The Padres extended their lead to 2-0 when Jackson Merrill reached on a single and stole second base, setting up a two-out, runner-on-second situation where Manny Machado hit a RBI single to left field.

The Brewers’ counterattack was fierce. In the top of the fourth inning, William Contreras launched a solo home run to left field to begin the chase. In the top of the fifth, consecutive hits by Cooper Pratt and Sal Frelick, combined with Joey Ortiz’s sacrifice bunt and Jackson Chourio’s sacrifice fly to left field, tied the game at 2-2.

However, the Padres remained steady. In the bottom of the fifth, Cronenworth, batting as the leadoff hitter, hit a solo home run to right field, immediately reclaiming a 3-2 lead. In the bottom of the sixth, with two outs, Jander Bogaerts reached on a single and a passed ball created a scoring position opportunity. Pinch hitter Miguel Andujar’s infield grounder to shortstop was compounded by an error by the opposing team, allowing the Padres to pull away 4-2.

When the Brewers closed in to within one run at 4-3 on Christian Yelich’s RBI hit with two outs and runners on first and third in the top of the seventh inning, the San Diego bench made a decisive call. After starting pitcher Nick Pivetta (4⅓ innings, 2 runs allowed), the Padres had already used relievers Jason Adam, Yuki Matsui, and Brad Glade Rodriguez in succession, leaving them with no room to look back. To make matters worse, “Iron Wall Closer” Mason Miller was absent due to paternity leave ahead of this game, leaving the bullpen’s final door open.

In this situation, the Padres took the extreme measure of bringing Michael King onto the mound in the eighth inning. King had started Game 2 just two days earlier, throwing 72 pitches over five innings. He is a starting pitcher who appeared in all 32 games of the regular season as a starter, recording a 12-10 record.

Nevertheless, King perfectly met the bench’s expectations. After shutting down the eighth inning cleanly, King faced his biggest crisis in the top of the ninth with one out and runners on first and second. However, he induced Milwaukee’s star hitter Yelich into a ground ball double play to shortstop, roaring in celebration. It was a scoreless save over two innings that highlighted the fighting spirit of their starting ace. After a total effort, the Padres secured a valuable victory, making the series score 1-2 and forcing a Game 4.

Meanwhile, according to Bob Nightengale, a reporter for USA Today in the United States, Miller, who did not play in this game, is expected to be able to return for Game 4 of the NLDS scheduled for the 8th.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original